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Orlando City vs. Real Salt Lake: Player Grades and Man of the Match

How did your favorite Lions perform against Real Salt Lake?

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2 years ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City went on the road to Sandy, UT and was blanked 4-0 by Real Salt Lake on a forgettable Saturday night. The Lions traveled cross country for the matchup and battled tired legs and the altitude, along with the formidable hosts. Here’s how each Lion performed individually in the loss against RSL.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 6 (MotM) — Just a few nights earlier, Gallese had virtually nothing to do in a 4-0 victory. But on Saturday night, El Pulpo was on the other end of a 4-0 drumming. Without Gallese in goal though, it strangely enough could have been an even larger deficit. He faced 15 total shots throughout the match, with RSL putting six on frame. He conceded four goals on the evening, two from set pieces which were horribly defended in the first half and an additional two from wide-open, point-blank range in the second half. There was little he could have done on the four goals. Gallese was accurate on 31 of his 34 passes (91.2%), including nine accurate long balls on 12 attempts.

D, Rafael Santos, 5.5 — The left back completed 40 of his 43 passes (93%), including one key pass and four accurate long balls on seven attempts. Two of his six crosses were accurate. while going the full duration of the match. A player who has been growing into his role as off late showed some regression as there were multiple times he found himself out of position and much of RSL’s danger came from his side of the pitch. On the defensive side of the field, Santos was successful on both of his tackles, and logged one clearance, one blocked shot, and one interception. Santos also won one aerial duel during the match. Santos logged one ill-advised shot that was blocked and nearly turned into a breakaway the other way for Cristian Arango, and was dispossessed twice.

D, Antonio Carlos, 6 — AC and his center back partner Robin Jansson were mostly fine until the game got stretched after the two set piece goals. Whether Carlos or Wilder Cartagena was responsible for Arango on the first goal isn’t clear, but the Brazilian went for the headed clearance and came up just inches short. The two goals from open play came from the opposite side from Carlos, who completed a respectable 39 of his 47 passes (83%) with three successful long balls on seven attempts. Additionally, Carlos recorded one successful tackle, one blocked shot, and four clearances, while drawing two fouls.

D, Robin Jansson, 6 — The Swedish center back was culpable on the fourth goal, but he still probably kept the game closer than it could have been with a couple of timely vital challenges, including the one mentioned above on the blocked Santos shot that would have seen Arango in alone on Gallese without his intervention. Jansson also completed a decent 44 of his 52 passes (84.6%) with two successful long balls, albeit on six attempts. He won one aerial, blocked a shot, and was credited with one interception, but knocked another potentially dangerous ball out for a throw. Jansson did not record a clearance or tackle on evening and was also limited getting forward into the attack in this match while committing two fouls, one of which was super soft on the offensive end during a corner kick.

D, Kyle Smith, 5.5 — Subbed off after 58 minutes of action, Smith’s tired legs were apparent with several passes and clearances fired off the opposing player in front of him. He only completed 11 of his 20 passes (55%), which included two accurate long balls on five attempts and two inaccurate crossing attempts. He was unsuccessful on both of his tackle attempts, while winning one aerial duel. On offense, Smith was able to put one shot on target, but it was basically right at the goalkeeper. Smith committed and drew two fouls a piece in less than an hour of game play. It is unclear if it was always the game plan for Smith to come off around the hour mark or not but it did appear as if he might have picked up a slight knock and motioned to the bench prior to being subbed off.

MF, Cesar Araujo, 6 — The Uruguayan was one of the better defenders on the pitch for OCSC in this one. Araujo completed 32 of his 37 passes (86.5%), including one key pass and four successful long balls on five attempts. Defensively, he completed three of his five tackle attempts and blocked a shot but did not record a clearance or interception. A game removed from scoring his first MLS goal, Araujo failed to record an offensive stat throughout the match, going 0-for-2 on cross attempts, but did manage to draw two fouls on the night. He was unable to do anything to stop Justen Glad on the second RSL goal but perhaps shouldn’t have been tasked with covering the team’s biggest aerial threat.

MF, Wilder Cartagena, 5.5 — The Peruvian ended up marking nobody on the first Real Salt Lake goal to start the scoring deluge. He completed 23 of his 25 (92%) passes on the night without a key pass and his lone long ball attempt was not accurate. He also recorded two tackles and one successful aerial duel throughout the match. Cartagena logged one successful dribble but was also dispossessed once. He committed two fouls, including picking up a tactical yellow card, and was ultimately subbed off in the 58th minute for fresh legs.

MF, Ivan Angulo, 6 — The speedy Colombian at times looked like the only Orlando City player who had life left in his legs after a long week. He completed only seven out of 11 passes (64%) but did manage one key pass. On offense, he completed one of his two attempted dibbles while being dispossessed twice. He suffered one foul and also recorded one shot but sent it nowhere near the goal frame. On defense, Angulo chipped in with two successful tackles on three attempts.

MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 6 — Pereyra played the full 90 minutes and completed 37 of his 48 passes (77.1%), recording two key passes on the night. Seven of his long balls were accurate but none of his three crosses were. In a game mostly devoid of rhythm, the maestro tried unsuccessfully to unlock Orlando City on the offensive side of the pitch. He was dispossessed three times, while the ball often stuck at his feet. He did win one aerial duel, while contributing two tackles on the defensive side of the ball. Pereyra committed two fouls but drew a team-high five.

MF, Facundo Torres, 6 — For the second straight match, Facu failed to affect the stat line that mattered most — goal contributions. He completed 27 of his 34 passes (79.4%) and contributed one key pass. He was two-for-two on long balls but his lone cross was off target. Torres had one shot on target early in the match, which was just a little to close to the keeper but still required a good save. The Uruguayan also won an aerial duel, logged an interception, and completed one successful tackle. He was subbed off in the 76th minute for fresh legs and will undoubtedly welcome a week without a midweek fixture.

F, Duncan McGuire, 5 — The striker completed four of his six passes (66.7%) and put only one of his three shot attempts on target. He had a good go from distance just seconds into the match that could have changed the entire complexion of the game had it gone in, but it missed just wide. While he showed good hustle to track back and steal the ball from Braian Ojeda, he then not only quickly lost it back, but committed an unnecessary and silly foul that set up the first RSL goal. McGuire wasn’t able to impose himself on this particular game and much of that is due to good defensive work by RSL and Orlando City failing to find any connectivity in the final third. He only had 15 touches and didn’t attempt a cross or contribute a key pass. McGuire won two aerial duels and was unsuccessful on his lone tackle attempt while committing two fouls in 65 minutes on the field.

Substitutes

D, Martin Ojeda (58’), 6 — Orlando City elected to bring fresh legs on a little prior to the one hour mark as Designated Player Martin Ojeda looked to get the Lions back into the match. Ojeda completed nine of his 11 passes (81.8%), with one successful long ball on two attempts and one shot on target — albeit from too far away and without much pace. His only cross attempt was off the mark. Once RSL found the net for the third time, any chance of Ojeda helping to claw OCSC back into the match seemed to evaporate into the mountain air.

MF, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson (58’), 6 — The midfielder/defender provided fresh legs but was unable to provide his usual burst of energy, while completing all seven of his attempted passes (100%) in 32 minutes. He provided one key pass, committed one foul, and defensively wasn’t burned in a decent but uneventful showing.

MF, Ramiro Enrique (58’), 4.5 — Coming on with Ojeda and Thorhallsson, Enrique took the place of Angulo on the wing. He completed five of his six passes (83.3%) in a little over a half hour on the pitch. His lone shot attempt on the evening was badly hit and ended up being more embarrassing than dangerous. Enrique was able to win one aerial duel and recorded one interception. But he was largely invisible despite playing more than half an hour, registering only 10 touches, going 0-for-1 on crosses and failing to produce a key pass.

F, Ercan Kara (65’), 5 — Kara came on for McGuire at a point in the match where Orlando may have felt that if it could just pull one back than it may have a shot to salvage a point on the road. Instead the offense was never able to really get him meaningful service. Like Enrique, he only touched the ball 10 times. He was successful on five of his seven passes (71%) and logged one key pass while winning an aerial duel. He also recorded an interception.

D, Luca Petrasso (76’), 4.5 — Petrasso subbed on late for Torres and completed two of his four passess (50%) but did little else to have a positive effect on the match. He didn’t close down Jefferson Savarino quickly enough on the third Real Salt Lake goal, allowing the hosts to ice the game. He managed just six touches.

That is how the players graded out from an absolute drumming out west. They will have a full week off before an incredibly important match on the road in Atlanta. Vote for your Man of the Match in our poll below, and let us know your thoughts on who stood out to you.

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Orlando City

Orlando City at CF Montreal: Three Keys to Victory

What do the Lions need to do to earn all three points on the road against Montreal?

Published

15 hours ago

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April 17, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City heads to the Great White North to take on CF Montreal. The Canadian squad sits in last place in not just the Eastern Conference but also the entire MLS, with only two points from a pair of draws. To say it’s not been a good start to the season is an understatement. Of course, it’s exactly that type of situation that makes it feel like a trap. What does Orlando City need to do to take all three points against CF Montreal?

Designated Goal Scorers

What do you do if you haven’t scored a goal in the last two matches? You play a team that has given up 13 goals in eight matches with a -9 goal differential. Montreal doesn’t have the worst defense in the league — I’m looking at you, D.C. United — but it’s not far off. That presents an opportunity for Orlando City to get back on track when it comes to scoring goals.

Through the first six matches of the season, Orlando City was leading the league in scoring with 15 goals. Over the last two matches, the spigot has dried up. The Lions must seize on this opportunity to create and finish their chances. Much like earlier in the season, I want to see Luis Muriel, Martin Ojeda, and Marco Pasalic lead the way. If anyone can get the first goal, then I’m hopeful the dam will break and the scoring drought will be over.

Keep it Clean

There is some good news of late when it comes to the Orlando City defense. The club has two clean sheets over the last two matches, and that is without Cesar Araujo. There is also some bad news, given Rodrigo Schlegel will be serving his red card suspension this match. That means David Brekalo will move back to center back with Robin Jansson, and Oscar Pareja will have to employ either Rafael Santos or Kyle Smith at left back. Santos has been less than good so far this season.

Montreal has scored a paltry four goals so far in 2025, but two of them have come from striker Prince Owusu. The defense will also need to deal with Caden Clark facilitating in the midfield. I get that this isn’t a prolific attack. Montreal has not looked very good this season and is looking for both its first win and its first points of any sort at home. That means the hosts may be desperate for a result, and desperate is often dangerous. How well the defense does — in particular, how well Santos does if he plays — may determine if Montreal is able to break out of its slump. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen.

Give the Midfield Time

Before the last match, I was a little worried about the midfield. Having both Araujo and Eduard Atuesta out at the same time seemed to be a concern. Now, after seeing how well Joran Gerbet and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson worked together against the New York Red Bulls, I’m way less worried. If Araujo and Atuesta need a little more time to get fully healthy, then let them. The Franco/Icelandic combo seems to be a potent one.

Of course, if the normal starters are ready, then by all means bring them back, but maybe not until the 60th minute. Perhaps Pareja could even mix and match. One never knows how yellow card suspensions or minor injuries will affect player availability. This is a good match for Gerbet and Thorhallsson to work their magic.

That is what I will be looking for Saturday night. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links: 4/17/25

Oscar Pareja signs new contract with Orlando City, Orlando Pride prepare for the Washington Spirit, Orlando’s youth teams win, and more.

Published

19 hours ago

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April 17, 2025

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I can’t believe we’re already into the back half of April and Easter is right around the corner. There’s plenty of soccer to enjoy between now and then and we also have the draw for the U.S. Open Cup’s round of 32 this morning at 9:15. MLS teams are finally joining the fray, so we’ll see where the chips fall for Orlando City. Let’s get to the links!

Oscar Pareja Signs New Contract

Orlando City and Head Coach Oscar Pareja have agreed to a new three-year contract that will keep him in the City Beautiful through 2028. Pareja was hired as Orlando’s fourth head coach in its MLS era back in December of 2019 and he’s led the Lions to the playoffs in all five seasons he’s been at the helm.  Under Pareja, the Lions won the U.S. Open Cup in 2022, set club records in points and wins in 2023, and reached the Eastern Conference final for the first time last year. This year was the final one on the contract he signed in December of 2023, so it’s nice to know Pareja will be sticking around in the future.

Orlando Pride Prepare for the Washington Spirit

The Orlando Pride will look to make it five wins in a row when they host the Washington Spirit on Saturday in another rematch of last year’s final. While this is the first match between Orlando and Washington this season, the two clashed in the NWSL Challenge Cup on March 7 and the Spirit lifted the trophy after a penalty shootout. Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke on how the team has grown since that game and has benefitted from depth and consistency carried over from last year.

Orlando City Youth Teams Win in Bradenton

Orlando City’s U-18 team won in the Generation Adidas Cup’s round of 16, beating St. Louis City 1-0 to advance to the quarterfinals. The Young Lions remain unbeaten in that age group and will take on a Real Salt Lake team that also won its group and just beat Toronto FC in a penalty shootout following a scoreless draw.

Orlando’s U-16 squad didn’t qualify for the Championship bracket, but still advanced in the Premier bracket. After a 1-1 draw with Toronto, Orlando prevailed in the ensuing penalty shootout and will play Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals.

UEFA Champions League Semifinals Are Set

The quarterfinals for this year’s UEFA Champions League are over and only four teams remain in the tournament. Arsenal secured its spot in the semifinals after an impressive 2-1 road win against Real Madrid that included two assists from Mikel Merino. The Spanish club couldn’t muster its usual magic in the tournament and forward Kylian Mbappe exited in the second half due to injury. In Italy, Inter Milan held on for a 2-2 draw against Bayern to advance on aggregate, with defender Benjamin Pavard scoring a crucial goal for Inter against his old team. The semifinals will take place at the end of the month and will feature Arsenal taking on Paris Saint-Germain and Inter going up against Barcelona.

Free Kicks

  • Our thoughts go out to the friends and family of former FC Cincinnati player Aaron Boupendza, who died after falling from the 11th floor of a building in China.
  • The Chicago Fire are reportedly strongly interested in signing star midfielder Kevin De Bruyne on a free transfer. If any Western Conference teams could join the hunt for him, that would be great.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!

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Orlando City

Orlando City Extends Oscar Pareja’s Contract through 2028

The most successful coach in Orlando City’s MLS history has signed on for another three seasons.

Published

1 day ago

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April 16, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

Orlando City SC announced today that the club and Head Coach Oscar Pareja have come to terms on a new three-year contract through 2028. The winningest head coach in club history, Pareja’s previous two-year contract was scheduled to expire after the 2025 season. With the Lions off to a 3-2-3 start, and coming off the deepest MLS Cup playoff run in the organization’s history — the 2024 Eastern Conference final — the club locked down the veteran coach

“Throughout his career, Oscar has proven to be a coach deeply committed not only to winning and competing for championships, but also to building teams that fans can proudly rally behind,” Orlando City Owner and Chairman Mark Wilf said in a club press release. “Here in Orlando, he’s shown that same passion and dedication — taking immense pride in representing our club with integrity and driving us closer each year to our ultimate goal of winning it all. His unwavering positivity and focus have helped shape a culture grounded in respect and ambition. We’re thrilled to have Oscar continue leading us forward in the City Beautiful.” 

Pareja has led Orlando City to a record of 89-59-55 across all competitions in 203 matches, reaching the playoffs in each of his seasons at the helm of OCSC. He also won the team’s first MLS-era trophy by leading the Lions to the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup title, and he’s guided the club to its first two appearances in Concacaf Champions League/Cup and to the MLS is Back Tournament final in 2020.

With 176 MLS victories, Pareja is No. 5 on the league’s all-time wins list. He ranks second among all active coaches. Orlando City initially hired Pareja, 56, as head coach on Dec. 4, 2019. He succeeded James O’Connor, Jason Kreis, and Adrian Heath as OCSC head coaches in the club’s MLS era. Prior to joining the Lions, Pareja spent one season in Liga MX with Club Tijuana after five successful seasons as head coach at FC Dallas. Pareja started his MLS head coaching career with the Colorado Rapids in 2012, leading the ‘Pids for two seasons, including a playoff appearance in 2013. He also coached the U.S. U-17 Men’s National Team from 2007-2008. 

“First and foremost, I want to express my deepest gratitude to Mark Wilf, his family, the entire ownership group, and our executive board for their continued trust in the vision and culture we’ve built over the years,” Pareja said in the club’s release. “Their unwavering support is the foundation of everything we strive to achieve each day. Above all, I’m profoundly thankful to our incredible fans and the dedicated staff who pour their hearts into making Orlando City such a remarkable club. Together, we’ve grown stronger with each passing season, moving steadily closer to our shared ambition of bringing more trophies home to this great city. I remain deeply inspired by what lies ahead and look forward to continuing this journey in pursuit of more championships.” 

As a player, Pareja spent 1987-1995 with Independiente Medellin in his native Colombia as a midfielder, appearing in 263 matches and scoring 18 goals. He moved to Deportivo Cali, where he scored 11 more goals in 122 games from 1995-1998 and then joined the New England Revolution, appearing in 13 games that year. He finished his playing career with FC Dallas, scoring 13 goals in 170 appearances from 1998-2005. He also earned 11 caps from 1991 to 1996 with Colombia’s national team, scoring three goals.

What It Means for Orlando City

As I wrote when Pareja re-signed in December of 2023: quite simply, it means the Lions retain their most successful coach since joining Major League Soccer. Pareja has created a culture and an identity that was lacking at the club prior to his arrival. While it’s common for players to say the team feels like a family and a city feels like “home,” the Lions have walked that walk during Pareja’s tenure in the City Beautiful.

Pareja’s challenge for the upcoming season is to improve upon the club’s deepest run in the playoffs and perhaps the fourth-place finish the Lions enjoyed in 2024. That’s not an easy task, and it shouldn’t be held against him if he can’t reach those lofty heights.

In the short term, Pareja’s job is to get the team scoring goals again while maintaining the high defensive standards set over the last two matches.

Pareja’s tenure with Orlando City will ultimately be measured in trophies. So far, he’s won one of them. That’s more than everyone who came before him won with Orlando in the MLS era, but it’s understandable for fans and ownership to ask for more.

Oscar Pareja’s Coaching Record at Orlando City (W-L-D)

Major League Soccer Regular Season: 167 games, 74-48-45
MLS Playoffs: 12 games, 5-6-1 (Note: MLS considers draws losses if they happen in the best-of-three round but if it goes to penalties in a single-elimination game, it’s a draw.)
U.S. Open Cup: 7 games, 4-1-2
Concacaf Champions League/Cup: 6 games, 2-1-3
Leagues Cup: 7 games, 2-2-3
MLS is Back Knockout Stages: 4 games, 2-1-1

Total: 203 games coached, 89-59-55

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